Revelstoke Bylaw
Listing

BYLAW 1519

Arthur Farwell established the initial townsite in the early 1880s at a point where he knew the railway would cross the Columbia River. It is railway activity to which Revelstoke essentially owes its existence. The Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR), who completed the route through the Roger’s and Eagle Passes with the driving of the last spike in November of 1885, developed its own townsite east of Farwell's. Due to a dispute over land titles, the community did not develop significantly until the late 1890s. At that time the town flourished, bouyed principally by railway activity complemented by forestry, mining and farming.

With this early development came a number of significant buildings. The Anglican Church was built in 1896, the Court House in 1912 and the High School in 1914. There were also a number of commercial buildings and private residences constructed during this period which still stand today. Most of these structures are located in the areas referred to as South and Central Revelstoke (the former often referred to as Lower Town).

The community has exhibited much pride in its heritage. One reflection of this is the downtown revitalization project whose spirit has extended beyond the commercial area to encompass some surrounding residential areas. The community's heritage may be broadly interpreted to include not only structural features (e.g. public, commercial or residential buildings) but also natural features such as the Columbia River, monuments, railway activities and other elements of historic and cultural value. All are of considerable value to the community. Some of these heritage features are spread throughout the community (e.g. public buildings) while others are concentrated closer to the community core (e.g. many private residences and commercial buildings). Appendix II contains a partial list of heritage features in Revelstoke.

None of Revelstoke's heritage features are designated municipal, provincial or federal heritage sites. Such designation is often a reactionary tactic to preclude potential misuse of a community's heritage feature. The community is fortunate that most owners of heritage features have seen their true value and have found positive, economically viable uses for these features. This proactive approach toward the celebration of Revelstoke's heritage is seen by the community as preferable to a highly regulatory adversarial stance.
 

Objectives

7.2 Council's objective is to protect and enhance heritage features worthy of preservation by virtue of their special significance to the character of the community.
 

Policies

7.3 It is Council's policy to take a pro-active and visionary approach toward the preservation of heritage features. This approach will emphasize the attraction of rehabilitation and investment to worthy heritage features.

7.4 It is Council's policy to interpret the concept of heritage to include not only buildings but also monuments, natural areas and landmarks, neighbourhoods and other features.

7.5 It is Council's policy to communicate with the community to determine what it considers to be heritage features and to ensure that both existing and potential owners of these features are made aware of their value and significance to Revelstoke.

7.6 It is Council's policy to utilize a variety of tools to encourage the protection and enhancement of heritage features. These tools may include:

• Heritage Conservation Areas under Section 945 of the Municipal Act. Such areas would be introduced through amendments to this Official Community Plan
• density bonuses, zoning considerations, tax concessions or other incentives

7.7 It is Council's policy to support the Revelstoke Heritage Advisory Committee in the implementation of a Heritage Strategy for the community. This Strategy will address many of the issues for which Council has given policy direction and may result in amendments to this Plan.

(Amended Bylaw No. 1892)
'Revelstoke Station' Heritage Conservation Area

7.8 Definitions

ESSENTIAL FEATURES AND CHARACTERISTICS means special features or characteristics that contribute to the heritage value or heritage character of the area.

HERITAGE ALTERATION PERMIT means a permit under section 972 of the Local Government Act.

PRINCIPLE BUILDING means a building or structure containing the principle use of the property.

PROTECTED HERITAGE PROPERTY means protected heritage property under the Local Government Act.

RIGHT OF WAY means a street, lane, walkway or any other way open to public use.

7.9 Designation

The area shown outlined in heavy black line on Schedule F is designated as the ‘Revelstoke Station’ heritage conservation area.

7.10 Justification

The residential area designated in this section developed rapidly between 1897 and 1915, a period of early, permanent settlement centered around the Revelstoke Station, located on the mainline of the recently completed transcontinental railway, the Canadian Pacific Railway. The area’s origins and history are unique in Revelstoke. Originally established to provide housing for the families of workers employed by the Canadian Pacific Railway and associated businesses, it was initially developed exclusively for residential purposes, a land use that has continued uninterrupted to the present. Conservation of the residential buildings and related land use characteristics in the area will preserve the only remaining example of a continuously occupied railway-related residential neighbourhood within the spectacular and challenging environment of the Mountain Division of the Canadian Pacific Railway.

7.11 Objectives

The objectives of the designation of the heritage conservation area are to:

.1 Preserve the heritage buildings and land features
By ensuring that Protected Heritage Property is neither demolished nor altered in any way that is not compatible with its original design, function or appearance.

.2 Preserve the integrity of the historic streetscapes
a) By ensuring that the Essential Features and Characteristics are neither demolished nor altered in any way that is not compatible with their original function, appearance, or spatial relationships; and

b) By ensuring that any new buildings, or additions to existing buildings, are designed and constructed to complement the continuous streetscapes of steep-roofed worker housing that were established in the area between 1897 and 1915, and not detract from the appearance and overall effect of the buildings, land and features listed in Schedule ‘G’.

7.12 Guidelines

The guidelines respecting the manner by which the objectives of the heritage conservation area designation are to be achieved, for the purpose of issuing Heritage Alteration Permits, are listed in Schedule ‘H’.

7.13 Exemptions from Permit Requirements

A Heritage Alteration Permit is not required for:

.1 Alterations to the interior of any building or structure in the heritage conservation area;
.2 Normal maintenance and repair of any architectural feature which does not involve a change in design, materials, outer appearance or removal;
.3 Painting or repainting of a building or structure;
.4 Changing exterior finishes, decorative trim, windows and doors on a building or structure, except work for which a building permit must be obtained;
.5 Reconstruction or repair of a property not listed as Protected Heritage Property built prior to the effective date of this Bylaw, which is partially destroyed or damaged by fire, wind or natural occurrence, provided that the reconstruction or repair is limited to rebuilding to the same size (dimensions, height) and in like and kind; and
.6 Subdivision of lots greater than 464.5 square metres (5,000 square feet) into 25 or 50 by 100 foot lots, where the narrow dimension fronts Mackenzie Avenue or Third through Seventh Streets.

7.14 Protected Heritage Property

The buildings, land and features listed on Schedule ‘B’ are Protected Heritage Property.

7.15 Essential Features and Characteristics

For the purposes of sections 970.1(2)(a) and 971(3)(b) of the Local Government Act, the features or characteristics that contribute to the heritage values and character of the area are the following:

.1 Continuous streetscapes of house-form buildings with steeply pitched roofs and landscaped yards fronting onto Third through Seventh Streets, or Mackenzie Avenue;
.2 Predominantly vernacular building styles including:
    Gable fronted houses
    Four square houses with hip roofs
    Gambrel gabled houses
    Bungalows with hip roofs
    Craftsman bungalows with shed roofs;
.3 Occasional one-of-a-kind house-form buildings with High Victorian and Late Victorian characteristics, including:
    Gothic Revival
    Colonial Revival
    Queen Anne
    Shingle Style;
.4 The overall pattern of land use and subdivision based on a grid comprised of avenues perpendicular to the railway right of way with cross streets enclosing groups of 25 by 100 foot lots arranged in rectangular blocks divided rectilinearly by alleys; and
.5 Mature trees set at or near property boundaries and lining Mackenzie Avenue and Fourth through Seventh Streets.
 

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